The decadence of the Arab world

[Dragon of Bosnia]

Dear all, I hope that you wil contribute to the constructive development of this thread and that you will lead the dialogue in a tolerant tone, leaving mutual differences aside. So the question is why have the Arabs lagged behind in the last 8 centuries and fell silent while other nations and civilizations have evolved and risen to unprecedented heights during that time? What are the causes of this?

 

[masterchief_mirza]

Feudalism, monarchic legacy and nepotism.

Meritocracy cannot flourish under such systems.

 

[Pan-Islamic-Pakistan]

Major Arab states have never escaped the colonial control that the rest of us have shaken off. When Arab leaders like King Faisal RA did, they were assassinated.

The problem is that they were corrupted by the West by being given too much wealth too quickly, and that in itself became their prison.

Nations are made when they suffer hardship and overcome those hardship, not when things are handed to them on a plate.

That is in line with Ibn Khaldun's theory of the rise and fall of nations.

 

[vi-va]

Major Arab states have never escaped the colonial control that the rest of us have shaken off. When Arab leaders like King Faisal RA did, they were assassinated.

The problem is that they were corrupted by the West by being given too much wealth too quickly, and that in itself became their prison.

Nations are made when they suffer hardship and overcome those hardship, not when things are handed to them on a plate.

That is in line with Ibn Khaldun's theory of the rise and fall of nations.

Pakistan is a war hardened state, which means no way to be destroyed from outside. Beware of inner traitors.

 

[Mamluk]

Arab world encompasses lots of nations. I suppose you mean "proper Arabs", as in peninsular Arabs? I don't see how they lagged behind. They are doing really good, in fact better than rest of the Muslim world.

If you're talking about Levantines, they also have not lagged behind except Palestinians. Syrians were doing really good until the war. Jordan has very high HDI. Lebanese are very educated people, but their problem is a very divided populace.

Also constant foreign intervention is another problem. But that can't be helped since they either have hydrocarbon resources or border Israel.

The idea that Arabs have somehow "lagged behind" everyone else has some racist overtones because most of the times the discussion ends up with comments like Arabs are dumb or culturally backward and other nonsense stereotypes.

 

[vi-va]

Feudalism, monarchic legacy and nepotism.

Meritocracy cannot flourish under such systems.

How much they spent on military equipment VS performance in war.
Iraq under Saddam may be one of the few Arab countries who can fight a war, got destroyed 17 years ago and Saddam hanged.

 

[Pan-Islamic-Pakistan]

Pakistan is a war hardened state, which means no way to be destroyed from outside. Beware of inner traitors.

Solid advice, I am glad Imran Khan is working on it.

 

[Pan-Islamic-Pakistan]

Also constant foreign intervention is another problem. But that can't be helped since they either have hydrocarbon resources or border Israel.

This is probably the main reason.

 

[denel]

Feudalism, monarchic legacy and nepotism.

Meritocracy cannot flourish under such systems.

Racism, bigotry, opulence to add to this.

 

[vi-va]

Solid advice, I am glad Imran Khan is working on it.

He is, he is loyal to Pakistan. IK at his age, with his wealth can enjoy a much easier retired life. He chose the hard way for his career and state.

 

[Antaréss]

Unlike anywhere else, polytheism comes at a very high cost and Britain knows best.

 

[vi-va]

There are two kind of Arab countries, with water and without. From outside great powers point of view:

• The former such as Egypt, Iraq and Syria. Those are targets, diminished or destroyed.
• The latter such as oil rich countries in Gulf, and North Africa. Those must be under control to some extent.
• For those without water nor oil, they don't care that much.
• But the tragedy is Yemen, Somalia and Djibouti are too close to Gulf of Aden. while Morocco is too close to Strait of Gibraltar.

That's here we are today.

 

[insight-out]

There are two kind of Arab countries, with water and without. From outside great powers point of view:

• The former such as Egypt, Iraq and Syria. Those are targets, diminished or destroyed.
• The latter such as oil rich countries in Gulf, and North Africa. Those must be under control to some extent.
• For those without water nor oil, they don't care that much.
• But the tragedy is Yemen, Somalia and Djibouti are too close to Gulf of Aden. while Morocco is too close to Strait of Gibraltar.

That's here we are today.

Egypt, Iraq, and the lands of Shaam (which includes the four states of Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, and Palestine)....these are the countries that have/had a large population with a sizable, educated, middle class. They are the ones without oil, and have been either destroyed, divided, or oppressed.

Of course, outside interference is a factor, but that is to be expected. They should take the brunt of the blame for where they stand today.

 

[Dragon of Bosnia]

Arab world encompasses lots of nations. I suppose you mean "proper Arabs", as in peninsular Arabs? I don't see how they lagged behind. They are doing really good, in fact better than rest of the Muslim world.

If you're talking about Levantines, they also have not lagged behind except Palestinians. Syrians were doing really good until the war. Jordan has very high HDI. Lebanese are very educated people, but their problem is a very divided populace.

Also constant foreign intervention is another problem. But that can't be helped since they either have hydrocarbon resources or border Israel.

The idea that Arabs have somehow "lagged behind" everyone else has some racist overtones because most of the times the discussion ends up with comments like Arabs are dumb or culturally backward and other nonsense stereotypes.

By the Arab world I mean all countries for which Arabic is the official language. So, from west Africa to the east of arabian peninsula. I don't know about others, I don't have stereotypes about Arabs and the main reason for starting this thread is to understand it correctly, we must understand the past and understand the causes that led to this current state we see. For now, I will refrain from further comment, I want to see in wich direction this topic will develop. Oh, yes... I forgot to write that my sincere and deep desire is the rebirth and prosperity of the Arab world, that's why this thread.

 

[Mamajama]

Depends which parts of Arab world, there is a long running conspiracy of countries like the UAE being puppets when they are operating against the wishes of Americans and pursuing a radically different foreign policy. I think this has something to do with the education of individuals in most cases.

The UAE have a relatively strong economy and a highly educated citizenry with the potentional to transform into a knowledge based economy in the next dozens of years much like Israel.